First attempt at Street Photography

[Melkus]

Darren there no reason to feel intimdeated and uncomfortable maybe right now since your just starting out but over time you get use to it. Street Photography can be so much fun. I know when I started I felt about same way but the teacher I had then kept me going. Here are five tips I was told when taking a class here that covers this. Hope it helps and keep at it


1. Build Your Confidence

It can take quite a bit of courage to shove your camera in someone’s general direction and actually take a shot. Most people actually don’t care, but it still takes some confidence to actually press that shutter button.

One way to build your confidence is to try shooting in busy events where there are already plenty of photographers around. Being just one more photographer amongst hundreds will meant you have no compunction about pointing a camera at pretty much anyone.

Try to be open when you take a shot – you’re not doing anything wrong after all. If your subject notices you taking the shot, give them a smile and thumbs up. You’ll soon learn that most people don’t really care. So have a look around for an upcoming event like a fair, car or air show where you won’t be the only photographer and not feel too self-conscious.



2. Use that confidence

Once you’ve built your confidence use it to talk to or otherwise interact with people. Something as simple as pointing to your subject, then the camera to let them know you’ll be taking a shot can initiate a reaction that makes a great photo – whether it’s a smile or a frown. Show your subject the shot and be ready to capture their reaction, or their friends’.

3. Choose your weapon

Or rather, your equipment. Your lens will determine what kind of street photography you’ll be doing. A medium length prime such as a 35mm is a flexible option capable of handling full street ‘landscapes’ right up to three-quarter length portraits on a crop sensor camera. A long lens, say 300mm, will allow you to get more candid shots. Personally I prefer a 70-300mm telezoom. Try both wide-angle and long lenses to find out what suits you best.



4. Consider black and white

Black and white has a couple of advantages when it comes to street photography. Firstly, you’re less likely to get the opportunity for street photography during the Golden Hours, an hour after sunrise or before sunset. You’ll more often than not be shooting in the middle of the day, when the light is worse. Black and white conversion allows for punchier, more dramatic midday shots than colour. Another advantage is that black and white pares away distractions in the form of colour. This is especially true of portraits; the standard phrase is that colour shots capture the clothes, while black and white shots capture the person.



5. Pick an aperture and stick with it

In street photography you often need to think fast and just get the shot, so consider picking an aperture and sticking to it to free you up from thinking about settings. ‘f/8 and be there’ were the words to live by for photojournalists in days gone by. f/8 was aimed more at ensuring a vital detail was captured, and is perhaps not the best choice for the more creative art of street photography. f/4 will give you some creative shallow depth of field and help you get a decent shutter speed for sharper shots, while giving enough depth to prevent focusing problems.

You can either use Aperture Priority mode to fix your aperture and let the camera handle exposure, or if you’re more confident you can use Manual mode to enable you to adjust shutter speed on the fly for more creative results. One final advantage of using one aperture throughout a shoot is that it lends a certain consistency of style across the shots, which can make a street photo project hang together well.

[gredawarha]

Hi Allen

Incredibly late reply I know but for what it's worth I would say go light on gear, a 50mm (or equivalent) lens is good. Have some business cards on you, of anyone challenges you offer to send them an image and flattery goes a long way.

.

Darren, i love all of them. I want to get into street photography to. Any tips/advice?

[gredawarha]

Darren there no reason to feel intimdeated and uncomfortable maybe right now since your just starting out but over time you get use to it. Street Photography can be so much fun. I know when I started I felt about same way but the teacher I had then kept me going. Here are five tips I was told when taking a class here that covers this. Hope it helps and keep at it


1. Build Your Confidence

It can take quite a bit of courage to shove your camera in someone’s general direction and actually take a shot. Most people actually don’t care, but it still takes some confidence to actually press that shutter button.

One way to build your confidence is to try shooting in busy events where there are already plenty of photographers around. Being just one more photographer amongst hundreds will meant you have no compunction about pointing a camera at pretty much anyone.

Try to be open when you take a shot – you’re not doing anything wrong after all. If your subject notices you taking the shot, give them a smile and thumbs up. You’ll soon learn that most people don’t really care. So have a look around for an upcoming event like a fair, car or air show where you won’t be the only photographer and not feel too self-conscious.



2. Use that confidence

Once you’ve built your confidence use it to talk to or otherwise interact with people. Something as simple as pointing to your subject, then the camera to let them know you’ll be taking a shot can initiate a reaction that makes a great photo – whether it’s a smile or a frown. Show your subject the shot and be ready to capture their reaction, or their friends’.

3. Choose your weapon

Or rather, your equipment. Your lens will determine what kind of street photography you’ll be doing. A medium length prime such as a 35mm is a flexible option capable of handling full street ‘landscapes’ right up to three-quarter length portraits on a crop sensor camera. A long lens, say 300mm, will allow you to get more candid shots. Personally I prefer a 70-300mm telezoom. Try both wide-angle and long lenses to find out what suits you best.



4. Consider black and white

Black and white has a couple of advantages when it comes to street photography. Firstly, you’re less likely to get the opportunity for street photography during the Golden Hours, an hour after sunrise or before sunset. You’ll more often than not be shooting in the middle of the day, when the light is worse. Black and white conversion allows for punchier, more dramatic midday shots than colour. Another advantage is that black and white pares away distractions in the form of colour. This is especially true of portraits; the standard phrase is that colour shots capture the clothes, while black and white shots capture the person.



5. Pick an aperture and stick with it

In street photography you often need to think fast and just get the shot, so consider picking an aperture and sticking to it to free you up from thinking about settings. ‘f/8 and be there’ were the words to live by for photojournalists in days gone by. f/8 was aimed more at ensuring a vital detail was captured, and is perhaps not the best choice for the more creative art of street photography. f/4 will give you some creative shallow depth of field and help you get a decent shutter speed for sharper shots, while giving enough depth to prevent focusing problems.

You can either use Aperture Priority mode to fix your aperture and let the camera handle exposure, or if you’re more confident you can use Manual mode to enable you to adjust shutter speed on the fly for more creative results. One final advantage of using one aperture throughout a shoot is that it lends a certain consistency of style across the shots, which can make a street photo project hang together well.

Hi Paul

Some really great tips there. Thank you.

[rpcrowe]

Darren...

I have one tip that I don't believe was covered in this string but, which I consider quite important in street photography,

Get to the point in which handling your camera is second nature and you are able to raise the camera shoot, and return the camera very quickly.

Photographers often write that one lens or another attracts attention (usually said about the "white" Canon L telephotos). I have noticed that a photographer struggling to focus, set exposure, etc. with any camera attracts more attention than a photographer who is able to lift the camera, quickly compose and expose. IMO, the type of lens that the camera is wearing doesn't matter anywhere nearly as much as the time the photographer takes struggling to get the picture.

[gredawarha]

Totaly agree Richard.

Darren...

I have one tip that I don't believe was covered in this string but, which I consider quite important in street photography,

Get to the point in which handling your camera is second nature and you are able to raise the camera shoot, and return the camera very quickly.

Photographers often write that one lens or another attracts attention (usually said about the "white" Canon L telephotos). I have noticed that a photographer struggling to focus, set exposure, etc. with any camera attracts more attention than a photographer who is able to lift the camera, quickly compose and expose. IMO, the type of lens that the camera is wearing doesn't matter anywhere nearly as much as the time the photographer takes struggling to get the picture.

[WJT]

Darren, you have captured the mood of the people well and that is have the battle I think. When they start looking at you it never works out. I think you should keep at it. I too feel uncomfortable often when I do it, and therefore I only do it when I am somewhere special. The longer lens is much better. I use the 70 - 200mm mostly and it goes well.

[RobDingwall]

Hi Darren,

I think they're great, especially for a first attempt. I too get intimidated and embarrassed by taking street shots.

Have you ever seen the work of Don McCullin? His shots in the east end of London are quite amazing and great examples. He always approached people and asked permission before taking their photographs.

[gredawarha]

Hi Rob, no I have not heard of Don McCullin I shall check him out. I have heard of people taking a different route with Street Photography by asking people to pose and that is something I intend to try out when I can get the time to do it.

Hi Darren,

I think they're great, especially for a first attempt. I too get intimidated and embarrassed by taking street shots.

Have you ever seen the work of Don McCullin? His shots in the east end of London are quite amazing and great examples. He always approached people and asked permission before taking their photographs.

[Flav7279]

nice pictures. The black and white brings out more detail.